Some authorities class the Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner as a sub-species of Ruddy Foliage-gleaner Automolus or Clibanornis rubiginosus but several including the South American Classification Committee give it species status. This classification is followed by the HBW and Birdlife International checklist largely due to vocalization differences.

It is dark brown above with a dark chestnut tail, rufous underparts with a paler almost pinkish throat.

Jeremy Minn's recording is of the bird in this photo.